Gourlay

[Sutekh]

Howe had a huge say in transfers, of course he did. By way of example, he was the person who vetoed the Asamoah Gyan signing.

Even taking the trend of thought that Gourlay may well be consciously on the rob from the club (there is plenty of evidence) out of the equation, he has absolutely no experience in the football side of the business, and the longer he is allowed to rule the roost the longer we will be in decline.

It’s a no brainer, we just need the owners to see.

Doesn't help that the "Interim Chief Operating Officer", Steven Falk, is a contractor being paid a fortune to work at the club for three days a week (although realistically it’s 2 and a half as he travels from Manchester).

He’s put up in the hotel by all accounts does literally doing nothing; a complete case of ‘jobs for the boys’... same as much of Gourlay's recruitment.

It’s interesting that Charles Watts is very much on BT’s side saying the loss of our entire marketing dept, Commercial Director, longstanding Academy coach and youth coaches has all happened under Gourlay. He adds BT was against the transfer signings in the summer preferring a youthful approach so it looks like the O’Shea signing was down to Gourlay.

Despite the fact that the manager said it was his decision and that no players have arrived without his endorsement

[Snowflake Royal]

Howe had a huge say in transfers, of course he did. By way of example, he was the person who vetoed the Asamoah Gyan signing.

Even taking the trend of thought that Gourlay may well be consciously on the rob from the club (there is plenty of evidence) out of the equation, he has absolutely no experience in the football side of the business, and the longer he is allowed to rule the roost the longer we will be in decline.

It’s a no brainer, we just need the owners to see.

Your extremely personal hatred for Gourlay is quite odd . Are you a former employee that he got rid off ?
The accusation that he is stealing from the club is a serious one that could lead you and Graham into trouble if the club became aware. Rather than posting accusations like that anonymously on here you really should take your evidence to either Bryan Stabler or the club’s auditors.
I know next to nothing about Gourlay, never met him, care nothing for him but unsubstantiated claims of criminal behaviour aren’t to be made lightly.

It’s not odd in slightest though is it really. We’re (almost) all signed up on this message board because we are Reading fans who care deeply for their club.

I have been given information from people who work at the club who inform me that the reason we are in such a mire (the worst position we have been in for two decades) because of one mans negative influence. Even if I hadn’t received this information, it’s clear for all to see that we are currently in a position staring at relegation to the third tier from a position of almost getting to the top flight - on his watch.

Forgive me for being a constant bore in vocalising what I’ve heard about Gourlay, but I felt it pertinent to communicate to the fans the reason why we are on such a downward trajectory - it seems as though today’s story has vindicated what I’d been told.

The issue of whether Gourlay is taking part in underhand tactics was picked up from a considerably amount of chat on Twitter, and as someone has mentioned above, there is no smoke without fire. However if this trend of thought is not fit for Hobnob then the Mods can feel free to delete what I said.

At the end of the day, I’ve just got the best interest of the club at heart.

I said that. It doesn't mean you start making public accusations of criminal behaviour without proof (some people within the club passing on rumours is not proof. And 90% of Twitter is utter nonsense spouted by people without a clue where the same one source of unreliable information goes around 300 people and gets held up as gospel because loads of people are saying it. It does you no credit to cite it as any sort of evidence of anything.

TBH your incoherent and violently rabid rantings are one of the things most likely to make me think there's actually nothing wrong with Gourlay and it's just something stirred up by angry internet loons.

[Snowflake Royal]

Doesn't help that the "Interim Chief Operating Officer", Steven Falk, is a contractor being paid a fortune to work at the club for three days a week (although realistically it’s 2 and a half as he travels from Manchester).

He’s put up in the hotel by all accounts does literally doing nothing; a complete case of ‘jobs for the boys’... same as much of Gourlay's recruitment.

It’s interesting that Charles Watts is very much on BT’s side saying the loss of our entire marketing dept, Commercial Director, longstanding Academy coach and youth coaches has all happened under Gourlay. He adds BT was against the transfer signings in the summer preferring a youthful approach so it looks like the O’Shea signing was down to Gourlay.

Despite the fact that the manager said it was his decision and that no players have arrived without his endorsement

Brian said Pogrebnyak was his signing until he got sacked.

Clement can't say anything else whilst he's in post, so it doesn't prove a lot.

[WAZZOCK]

Your extremely personal hatred for Gourlay is quite odd . Are you a former employee that he got rid off ?
The accusation that he is stealing from the club is a serious one that could lead you and Graham into trouble if the club became aware. Rather than posting accusations like that anonymously on here you really should take your evidence to either Bryan Stabler or the club’s auditors.
I know next to nothing about Gourlay, never met him, care nothing for him but unsubstantiated claims of criminal behaviour aren’t to be made lightly.

It’s not odd in slightest though is it really. We’re (almost) all signed up on this message board because we are Reading fans who care deeply for their club.

I have been given information from people who work at the club who inform me that the reason we are in such a mire (the worst position we have been in for two decades) because of one mans negative influence. Even if I hadn’t received this information, it’s clear for all to see that we are currently in a position staring at relegation to the third tier from a position of almost getting to the top flight - on his watch.

Forgive me for being a constant bore in vocalising what I’ve heard about Gourlay, but I felt it pertinent to communicate to the fans the reason why we are on such a downward trajectory - it seems as though today’s story has vindicated what I’d been told.

The issue of whether Gourlay is taking part in underhand tactics was picked up from a considerably amount of chat on Twitter, and as someone has mentioned above, there is no smoke without fire. However if this trend of thought is not fit for Hobnob then the Mods can feel free to delete what I said.

At the end of the day, I’ve just got the best interest of the club at heart.

I said that. It doesn't mean you start making public accusations of criminal behaviour without proof (some people within the club passing on rumours is not proof. And 90% of Twitter is utter nonsense spouted by people without a clue where the same one source of unreliable information goes around 300 people and gets held up as gospel because loads of people are saying it. It does you no credit to cite it as any sort of evidence of anything.

TBH your incoherent and violently rabid rantings are one of the things most likely to make me think there's actually nothing wrong with Gourlay and it's just something stirred up by angry internet loons.

I actually didn’t make accusations at all, I said it was a trend of thought. And whilst you may be right that 90% of twitter talk is nonsense, you haven’t accounted for the 10% of information that is invariably correct.

My information may well have been ‘ramblings’ regarding the subject, but I would argue that today’s story would vindicate them as coherent.

[Royal_jimmy]

He's taking this club backwards. Never seems to appreciate the fans either.

Shall we get a Gourlay out sign for the Millwall game? Atmosphere at West Brom was so toxic against Gourlay. He's clearly the problem and has to go or we will keep tumbling.

[Oilroyal]

Ron Gourlay needs to go and maybe take Clement with him. Under Gourlay we’ve lost more games than I care to remember, spent more money on signings and contract extensions than I’ve ever witnessed while the sole of our club is sucked out from within. Our fanbase reduced and battered and the club’s identity discarded to a state none of us recognise. Time for the fat controller to go!

[Kulshaw72RFC]

He is driving us into the ground.

[Zip]

He's taking this club backwards. Never seems to appreciate the fans either.

Shall we get a Gourlay out sign for the Millwall game? Atmosphere at West Brom was so toxic against Gourlay. He's clearly the problem and has to go or we will keep tumbling.

I’m not a Gourlay fan. Far from it. However he is not the one responsible for the recurring basic errors by players, or poor team selections and formations set out by Clement. Look at Tuesday night. Where the hell was Liam Kelly supposedly playing?

As with last season I find myself questioning whether this lot are physically fit. We started pre season early and yet we run out of steam in the vast majority of the second half of games. That’s not down to Gourlay. Nor are the constant injuries in training.

I don’t agree with a lot of what is happening which is down to Gourlay but it’s a lot deeper than him I’m afraid.

[SCIAG]

Always surprised when people claim to understand the workings of large, opaque organisations.

It would be rather surprising if our Chief Executive is the reason why we can only play well for 45 minutes at a time.

[Snowflake Royal]

The only issues I have with Gourlay, are if he's so good why's he joined a falling apart Reading side on a clear downward trajectory. And why is he approving so many ludicrous contracts for the likes of Aluko, Meite, Moore etc.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

He's taking this club backwards. Never seems to appreciate the fans either.

Shall we get a Gourlay out sign for the Millwall game? Atmosphere at West Brom was so toxic against Gourlay. He's clearly the problem and has to go or we will keep tumbling.

The club has been going backwards since 2012, he's been here a year.

Even if he does have an influence over signings most of the dross here were here before his watch.

I'm quite looking forward to some old traditional grounds in league 1 rather than plastic bowls every week, and we'll have Salford (new ground for all of us) in a couple of seasons.

[Lower West]

Gourlay is just an employee of the club. Where are the owners?

[Lower West]

why we can only play well for 45 minutes at a time.

How often has a Reading team even managed a full 45 minutes in the past few seasons.

[EverHopeful]

Gourlay is just an employee of the club. Where are the owners?

Quite agree, will they ever speak to the supporters or at least whats left of them

[Lower West]

He is driving us into the ground.

Don't attend games then.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

He is driving us into the ground.

Don't attend games then.

Why?

[Lower West]

He is driving us into the ground.

Don't attend games then.

Why?

Vote with your feet to show your displeasure.

[Old Man Andrews]

Gourlay is just an employee of the club. Where are the owners?

Quite agree, will they ever speak to the supporters or at least whats left of them

How is them speaking to the supporters going to solve our clear on the pitch problems? What they say or don't say to us is totally irrelevant.

[From Despair To Where?]

He is driving us into the ground.

He can drive me into the ground, I live over 200 miles away and it costs me a fortune in petrol.

[TadleyDave]

Gourlay has to go,these 4 year contracts he is handing out (I assume it's him) is crazy when there are better players waiting in the u23's.Also I'm intrigued to know why the Chinese owners actually bought the club,their silence is deafening.